I realize this thread will create a lot of controversy.
Over the past five years I have worked very hard to develop clubs and increase membership in USMS. The very fabric of my work and others in this area is building relationships and comradairre within the LMSC and or Club. Small clubs and large teams are proud of their "elite" swimmers and boast of their successes. With this said, it is very disturbing to me as I read through the FINA World Championships Physch Sheets to see the number of elite swimmers "jumping ship" to other clubs to swim on "elite" relays. If USMS had "Team USMS" I would have no problem with everyone coming together for a team effort. I don't have a problem with four guys coming together who swam in college using the Worlds as reunion of sorts. Where I have problem is the swimmer or swimmers who have been a member of a club or LMSC for years and because of individual egos leaves his team. What this says to me is our "elite" swimmers ego is more important than his or her club. How do you think the other 3 swimmers who normally swims on the relay with the "elite" swimmer feels. We are good enough througout the year, however we are not good enough for the Worlds. Instead of swimming for his or her club so all members of the club can be proud of the "elite" swimmers accomplishments, it is more important to this swimmer he or she represent someone else at the Worlds for personal gratification. If the relay team does win and breaks a WR the record does not show USMS as the record holder, but the name of a club the swimmer transferred too.... what a shame...
It is regretable I bring up this discussion, but it tears at the very fabric of the USMS mission regarding building club or LMSC relationships...I realize what these swimmers are doing is within the rules.. I just think it is wrong.
Mel
Thanks Paul. Then I did remember that right. Just a warning. Be carefull of stuff like that on your relays. If that would have been a FINA meet they would have DQ you for going in the wrong order. Also, watch were you sit in the marshalling chairs in the area. A friend of mine sat in the second chair, which was the breaststroke chair and they made her swim *** and the person sitting in the first chair swim the back in the medley and its recked there relay in Montreal. I think in your case they would have stopped the relay because they would have seen Rowdy and seen his credentials and that would not have matched the relay card and so in a FINA meet he would have swam correctly and gotten the record.
I know this year Rowdy did a relay with Dara and went :21.3 but I don't know if it was the leadoff or not. I was hoping to see Rowdy and you swim against each other in the 50 Free at Coral Springs but he had to get back Colorado. He is always a welcome presence when he comes to our meets regardless of what team he swims for. When I won the Toyota Olympic trivia contest at the Swim Clinic in Coral Springs I received a book that I already had and wanted to give it to him but he did not want it and wanted to give it to the second place finisher.
So Paul, you guys have to do what they do in the Olympics and people have to prove there worth to be selected on the A relays. That is good because you don't want any controversys like the Men's 400 Free Relay or the Women's 800 Free Relay at Athens. So that will put more pressure on all of the TYR swimmers to earn there keep on the relays.
Julie, I know the rule I was just giving Mr. Goodsmith the business because I know how he feels about those foreign swimmers swimming at the NCAA's. I was just trying to see if he had a change of heart when it comes to the FINA World Masters Swimming Championships.
Thanks Paul. Then I did remember that right. Just a warning. Be carefull of stuff like that on your relays. If that would have been a FINA meet they would have DQ you for going in the wrong order. Also, watch were you sit in the marshalling chairs in the area. A friend of mine sat in the second chair, which was the breaststroke chair and they made her swim *** and the person sitting in the first chair swim the back in the medley and its recked there relay in Montreal. I think in your case they would have stopped the relay because they would have seen Rowdy and seen his credentials and that would not have matched the relay card and so in a FINA meet he would have swam correctly and gotten the record.
I know this year Rowdy did a relay with Dara and went :21.3 but I don't know if it was the leadoff or not. I was hoping to see Rowdy and you swim against each other in the 50 Free at Coral Springs but he had to get back Colorado. He is always a welcome presence when he comes to our meets regardless of what team he swims for. When I won the Toyota Olympic trivia contest at the Swim Clinic in Coral Springs I received a book that I already had and wanted to give it to him but he did not want it and wanted to give it to the second place finisher.
So Paul, you guys have to do what they do in the Olympics and people have to prove there worth to be selected on the A relays. That is good because you don't want any controversys like the Men's 400 Free Relay or the Women's 800 Free Relay at Athens. So that will put more pressure on all of the TYR swimmers to earn there keep on the relays.
Julie, I know the rule I was just giving Mr. Goodsmith the business because I know how he feels about those foreign swimmers swimming at the NCAA's. I was just trying to see if he had a change of heart when it comes to the FINA World Masters Swimming Championships.
